Islamabad [Pakistan], December 22 : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan reiterated on Saturday that dialogue is the "only way forward" in the current political situation, Dawn reported.
His statement comes after the government, led by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, decided to form a negotiation committee in light of ongoing demands from the opposition. Gohar Khan's remarks emphasised the need for engagement between the government and opposition to resolve the political deadlock that has marked the recent months.
The government's decision to form a negotiation committee followed an intervention by National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq. The committee is expected to engage with PTI leaders and address key concerns raised by the opposition.
Gohar Khan highlighted the importance of a "committee to resolve political issues," underscoring that dialogue should be prioritised. "Dialogue is the only way forward," Gohar said, adding that the formation of the committee was crucial for political resolution.
Earlier this month, PTI founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan warned that the party would launch a civil disobedience movement starting December 14 if the government did not address its demands.
These demands include the release of political prisoners facing trial and the establishment of a judicial commission to probe the events surrounding May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2023. Imran Khan had previously announced a five-member negotiation team, which includes key PTI figures such as Opposition Leader Omar Ayub Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
Government legal adviser Barrister Aqeel Malik, speaking to Dawn NewsTV, confirmed that the government was in the process of forming its own committee, with members expected to be announced soon.
"We are preparing our own committee and are going to seek input from our allies so that they are reflected [in the decision making]," Malik explained. "I expect this committee to be formed either tomorrow or by the end of this week."
Imran Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, voiced concerns about the government's willingness to negotiate. She stated that the government's ongoing legal actions against PTI workers were clear indications that they did not intend to engage in meaningful talks. "It has become clear that they have no intention at all to talk," Aleema said.
"Their (the government's) intention is to keep them all in prison." She also reiterated her brother's demands for the release of "unjustly imprisoned" PTI workers and the creation of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9 and November 26.
Aleema Khan further emphasised that if the government did not take steps to address the PTI's concerns, the civil disobedience movement would proceed as planned. "We have not received any indication that the government wants to discuss the demands," Aleema stated. "Therefore, from tomorrow, a movement will be launched to stop sending remittances to Pakistan."
PTI lawyer Shoaib Shaheen also echoed these concerns, adding that there had been no progress on the formation of a judicial commission to investigate the alleged killings of PTI supporters by security personnel during the November 26 rally in Islamabad, Dawn reported.
Shaheen said that if the government failed to address the PTI's demands, including the formation of a negotiation committee, the civil disobedience movement would continue. "Otherwise, they have demanded that overseas Pakistanis not send their remittances to Pakistan," Shaheen concluded.